Taste: Hoppy beers

Jan. 29, 2014

Benjamin Roberts / Iowa City Press-Citizen

Written by

Aly Brown

Iowa City Press-Citizen

Hop heads, hop-huggers, whatever you want to call yourselves, I didnít get you at first. I couldnít understand why you enjoyed beer which I thought was heavy, bitter, astringent, confronting. But these three Iowa breweries have shown me that hoppy beers can be fruity, light and downright thirst-quenching.

Big Grove Brewery

101 W. Main St., Solon

Information: 624-2337

Bill Heinrich, head brewer at Big Grove Brewery, said despite the growing trend of Citra hops in American beers, he didnít jump on the bandwagon initially. But, Heinrich said once he developed Arms Race ($5 pint), a single-hopped Pale Ale, he began to appreciate its ďassertive, aggressive aromatic structure.Ē Arms Race showcases Citra at its best: a tropical-fruit nose with a clean, caramel taste.

Toppling Goliath

310 College Drive, Decorah

Information: 563-382-6198

While Toppling Goliath was a bit of a stretch outside of our coverage area at two-and-a-half hours away, I could not ignore a beer as beloved by hopheads as PseudoSue. PseudoSue, an American Pale Ale, also features Citra hops in a supremely balanced, bright beer. Pick it up at your local grocery store, The Mill or Redís Alehouse in North Liberty.

Peace Tree Brewing Co.

107 W. Main St., Knoxville

Information: 641-842-2739

Hop Sutra, Peace Tree Brewing Co.ís latest India Pale Ale, is heavy on the hops. With more than two-and-a-half times the hops of their Hop Wrangler IPA and four varieties of hops, Hop Sutra is a bold, bitter ale. Trek to the Knoxville-based brewery, or pick up a four-pack ($11.99) at Johnís Grocery.